


Animal House

by fangs_for_the_memories



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: Carmilla Secret Santa, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/F, Fluff, Vampire Laura, Vampire Laura Hollis, turned laura
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 08:01:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,534
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5531882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangs_for_the_memories/pseuds/fangs_for_the_memories
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Laura and Carmilla try to get ready for Christmas, which is not so easy when a recently-turned Laura starts cycling through different animal forms with no control.  But Carmilla is determined to power through it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Animal House

**Author's Note:**

> It was a random headcanon at 3am that turned into a fic.  
> Gifting this insanity to the lovely person I was the Carmilla Secret Santa for, [Bethany](http://hartofulloflove.tumblr.com/) and to my own Carmilla Secret Santa, [Meg](http://http://36fr.tumblr.com/)  
> !  
> Part four of nine of my Holiday Fanfic Bomb 2015! I'll be posting nine updates today to three different fics :D  
> Enjoy!

The big black panther strolls through the snowy field, sniffing the air. She lets out a rumbling growl, warning anyone around her.

Suddenly, there’s some scampering nearby, but she turns too slow and is tackled by a tiny puppy into the snow. Its enthusiasm and the surprise of the tiny furball is enough to knock Carmilla over. She rolls onto her side and the small golden Labrador rests on top of her. It yips and then starts licking at Carmilla.

Finally, the panther morphs back into the vampire’s human form, and she tries her best to maintain a scowl. Carmilla lifts the puppy off her side and lies on her back, holding it up in the air.

“Alright, alright, cutie. You got me,” Carmilla drawls, rolling her eyes.

The puppy blinks at her for a few seconds, before the air shifts around it and a full-grown Laura lands on Carmilla. Laura bursts out into laughter, burying her face into Carmilla’s neck.

Carmilla chuckles. “Ya killin’ me, Hollis.”

Laura’s laughter slowly fades as she props herself up to stare into Carmilla’s eyes. “What was I this time, Carm?”

“A tiny lab puppy,” she replies. “Licked my face and everything.”

“A dog,” Laura breathes out, rolling off to lie on her back. “That’s new.”

 

Carmilla nods, turning on her side to face Laura. “So far you’ve been… A baby deer, a chick, and a bear cub,” she says. “Not a bad palette for a baby vampire.”

Laura grins and pushes herself off the ground, holding out a hand for Carmilla. “Well, come on, Karnstein. Our Christmas tree ain’t gonna pick itself.”

Carmilla scoffs. “I’m getting too old for this,” she grumbles.

 

~*~

 

“I’m gonna get us a refill on the hot chocolate,” Carmilla says, kissing Laura on the cheek. Besides, Laura’s enthusiasm for decorating the tree far surpasses her own. She simply loves watching how excited Laura gets and how her eyes light up when a branch is decorated _perfectly_.

Laura has a Christmas playlist going as she opens another box and starts rambling about how her dad wouldn’t let her use these growing up.

Carmilla is smiling and about to dump a packet of mix into the mugs with some blood in them when she hears a loud crash in the next room, as if there’s glass breaking. Her eyes widen as she darts out of the kitchen, only to find an empty room.

“Laura?” she asks, her voice small and shaking. Yes, Laura was a vampire now, but that doesn’t mean Carmilla couldn’t still worry about her, right? “Laura, are you here?”

She searches around the floor, cluttered with Christmas ornaments and wrapping paper, only to identify the source of the broken object. She goes to pick up the shards of what was once a proud glass snowman ornament, when a lump under some wrapping paper starts to move.

Carmilla’s hand freezes, and then snatches the paper off the ground. She has to try not to lose it right in its face.

“Oh, sweetheart,” Carmilla says, stifling laughter. She picks up a tiny chipmunk off the ground, carefully cradling it in her hands.

 

It weebles a bit in her palms before just flopping onto its side. If a chipmunk could smile, that’s what Laura was doing.

“I almost stepped on you,” Carmilla says, smirking. The chipmunk looks slightly alarmed for a moment. “Good thing we’re keeping to ourselves until you’re done fully transitioning into a mature vampire.”

Suddenly, some pop cover of a Christmas classic ends, and an Alvin and the Chipmunks song starts. Carmilla can’t hold it back anymore and lets out laughter right into Laura’s small face, the force of it almost knocking Laura out of her hands. Her laughter becomes increasingly hysterical as she tries to stop it.

The tiny rodent wraps herself around Carmilla’s finger to secure herself and actually narrows her eyes in the least menacing glare possible.

 

“Stop it, _stop it_ , I’m gonna pee myself,” Carmilla gasps out, shifting Laura to one hand to grip a table for support. “Your cute little bunched up face, I _can’t_!”

The chipmunk manages to let out a huff, crawling down Carmilla and heading to the tree. It climbs up a few branches.

Carmilla is clutching her stomach, still trying to compose herself. “Wh-What are you doing?”

Laura balances herself and fixes an ornament on a branch to hang at an angle.

Carmilla is finally feeling the laughter subside and holds out her hand to Laura, who eyeballs the hand warily.

“No more laughing, I promise, babe,” Carmilla says.

Laura hesitates for a few seconds before wandering onto it and Carmilla carefully lowers her to the floor.

Carmilla clears her throat, adopting a very serious expression. “Okay, Hollis. Which ornament goes next?”

 

 ~*~

 

There’s a loud commotion as Carmilla runs out of the house. “Laura! Look ou––”

A giraffe stumbles in its confusion and gets its neck stuck in some Christmas lights dangling from the roof. Laura gets caught and yanked backwards, tearing down the lights and falling.

Carmilla holds her head as she leaps up onto the roof, pulling the lights up and past the edge to prevent this from happening again. She returns to the ground, carefully approaching the fallen giraffe.

Laura tries to get up for a few seconds before finally giving up and flopping back down on the ground with a groan.

“Yeeeeeeah,” Carmilla says, sucking in her breath. “Let’s hope this isn’t your final form.”

The giraffe looks at Carmilla with large, pleading eyes.

Carmilla sighs and sits down beside Laura’s head, leaning back so her head rests on the neck. “Don’t worry, cupcake. I’m not leaving you out here alone tonight.” She rests an arm on the side of the giraffe’s jaw and strokes it softly.

Laura lets out an annoyed snort but wraps her head closer so that Carmilla is basically wrapped up and shielded from the cold.

 

~*~

 

Carmilla sighs as she lies the next present on the wrapping paper and folds it over. She attaches a small piece of tape on the edge and waits as a small bunny hops over.

“It’s all you, cupcake,” Carmilla says, watching as Laura situates herself on the spot and hops up and down a few times, flattening the tape, before scurrying away.

Carmilla inspects the wrapped present and nods, satisfied. “Alright,” she says. “Five down…” She glances at the pile behind them. “…Fifteen to go…” Carmilla and the bunny sigh at the same time.

Carmilla holds out a fist a fraction of an inch from the bunny’s face.

“Let’s do this.”

Laura holds up a small fuzzy paw and bumps it against Carmilla’s. The bunny waits for the next piece of tape that requires her hopping feet.

 

 ~*~

 

Laura yawns and stretches. “I feel like I ruined Christmas this year,” she whines.

“Hon, no,” Carmilla says immediately.

“I did,” Laura frets. “I ruined our first Christmas together.”

Carmilla cocks her head to the side. “This isn’t our first Christmas together…?”

Laura sighs and lets her head fall forward to the table with a _thump_. “It’s our first Christmas together with me as a vampire,” she replies, muffled.

Carmilla laughs and leaves her seat, kneeling next to Laura and resting a hand on the small of her back. “Laura, look at me.”

Laura sniffles but doesn’t budge.

“ _Laura_.”

She picks her head up, rubbing tears from her eyes. “Yeah?”

 

Carmilla gives her a quick peck on the lips. “You _just_ became a vampire. You’ve only been a vampire for like, a month. You haven’t killed anyone. You haven’t lost control over blood lust. The most disaster you’ve caused is probably to the Christmas lights, and those look better now than they did before.”

She pats Laura, who gives her a half smile.

“We got all the presents off to your friends in time, and the tree looks amazing,” Carmilla continues. “You did _not_ ruin Christmas, creampuff.”

Laura bites her lip. “Really?”

Carmilla nods. “Yes, really.” She kisses Laura again, this time more deeply. By the time Carmilla pulls away, Laura’s smile lights up her whole face.

“Merry almost-Christmas, Carm,” Laura says softly. “I love you.”

Carmilla presses another kiss against her forehead. “I love you, too.”

 

Laura lets out a happy sigh and stands up. “I’m gonna go get more wood for the fire.”

Carmilla hums in response and watches as Laura leaves the room. She’s gone for a few minutes, and the clock chimes midnight into Christmas, so Carmilla rises and goes to find Laura.

She walks into the den, only to find a small kitten planted in front of the fireplace, mesmerized by the dancing flames.

Carmilla chuckles and sits down next to Laura, who slowly cranes her head and lets out a small mew. She bumps her head against Carmilla’s hip.

Carmilla grins and scratches the kitten behind the ears. “Merry Christmas, Laura,” she says. “The chipmunk and bunny were adorable, but I’m liking this kitten form the best.”

 

Carmilla shifts into her large panther form and lies down, waiting for the little kitten to climb on top of her. Their purring becomes synchronized within moments and the two drift off to sleep, lit only by the fireplace.

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Holidays, creampuffs!  
> Thanks for making my year so amazing and stay awesome <3


End file.
